The game of poker has been around for approximately two hundred years. Online poker has been in existence for much shorter, but its crudest forms appeared much earlier than some people might think.
The fact of the matter is that online poker emerged during the early days of the internet, although it was played only for fun and lacked many of the features we have today. Still, this fact only serves to show that the game has always been quite popular, even before it gained mainstream popularity.
In this article, we take a short stroll down memory lane, diving into the history of online poker. Learn how it all started, when things really took off, and how we got where we are today.
The Early Days of Online Poker
The earliest form of online poker emerged during the early 1990s, a period when the internet itself was still a novelty. A couple of enthusiasts developed a specialized poker script to be used on IRC, the first large-scale online chat room.
The script was hosted on a dedicated server with multiple channels for various games. The play was just for fun, as no real money was involved, and it was entirely text-based.
Naturally, IRC poker did not appeal to the masses. It attracted a relatively small number of players (at least compared to today’s standards), but over the span of several years, millions of poker hands were played on the server.
Back then, it was more of a gimmick than anything else, but, with the hindsight we have today, it was also a sign of things to come.
First Proper Poker Sites Go Live
Online poker, as we know it today, began in 1998 with the launch of Planet Poker. This was the first actual poker site with card graphics and clickable buttons. The software wasn’t much to look at, but it was a huge step forward compared to IRC games, and, more importantly, it offered poker games for real money.
A couple of years later, Paradise Poker was launched, and it became a tremendous success. Even today, a quarter of a century later, the name of Paradise Poker is often mentioned. The site was truly a sign of things to come.
Seeing the huge potential, many companies attempted to enter the burgeoning online poker market, with varying degrees of success. Two names that managed to stand out were PokerStars (launched in 2001) and Full Tilt Poker (launched in 2004).
While early poker sites weren’t without their faults, people worldwide loved the idea of playing online. It gave them the kind of freedom to enjoy the game that was simply unimaginable with brick-and-mortar games.
Although it came after PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker managed to become one of the market leaders, thanks to its sleek software (which many players remember with nostalgia even today) and an impressive roster of ambassadors that included superstars like Phil Ivey, Doyle Brunson, and many others.
The Poker Boom
During the first few years, online poker was growing, but it wasn’t nearly as big as some other online gambling options like slot games or blackjack. In many ways, it was still somewhat of a niche thing.
All that changed in 2003 when Chris Moneymaker, an accountant from Tennessee, won the WSOP Main Event for $2.5 million. Moneymaker qualified for a seat in the $10,000 tournament for just a few hundred bucks via an online satellite at PokerStars.
The PokerStars marketing team had the foresight to run a massive campaign around this event, and it turned into a huge success. The message was clear: online poker made it possible for everyone and anyone to win big.
The player traffic exploded across the board, but especially on sites like PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker. The idea of the “poker dream” was officially born, and hosts of people from all over the world were joining the hype.
All of a sudden, poker became “it,” and everybody wanted a share of the pie. For those willing to learn a bit about the game, winning wasn’t hard, either. Tables were flooded with players with minimal experience who were inspired by Chris Moneymaker. It was truly a golden age of online poker.
For a few years, nothing could stop this trend. However, in 2006, the USA passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which made it illegal for players from the United States to play online poker. This was the first major blow.
Some operators decided to disregard the UIGEA and continued to service US players. This led to the second blow: Black Friday of 2011. The Department of Justice shut down several US-facing sites (including PokerStars and Full Tilt), and US players were largely cut off from the rest of the player pool.
While online poker continued to thrive in other parts of the world, the actions of Black Friday had a significant impact on the overall player pool, and it took some time for things to get back on track. Some even say that online poker has never been the same since.
Online Poker of Today & Tomorrow
Online poker in 2025 is still alive and well, but numerous local regulations over the years have severely segmented player pools. People from many European states are only allowed to play in segregated player pools, and many countries worldwide have banned online gambling altogether.
On the technical side, leading operators offer sleek platforms with stunning graphics, a variety of features, and a great selection of games. Unfortunately, despite all the bells and whistles, winning in these games is much harder than it was ten or twenty years ago.
Looking forward, it’s safe to say that online poker isn’t going anywhere, but it is once more facing particular challenges. With the emergence of AI, poker solvers, and other tools, it is becoming increasingly challenging to maintain the integrity of games and ensure fairness.
Yet, if history has shown us anything, it’s that online poker always finds the way to weather any storms that come its way and come out on the other side. Difficulties may add a few wrinkles to its face, but, at its heart, it will remain the game we all love.
